At the backdrop of the Aviation Connect 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark, last week, Global K9 (GK9) signed its first partner agreement with an airline in Europe, solidifying its global expansion strategy. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) has decided upon using free running explosive detection dogs (FREDDs) at its Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) hub. As a result, KLM Cargo now has access to four canine teams at the airport. The FREDDs will support KLM Cargo’s screening operations in compliance with EU and Dutch regulatory frameworks. As a next step, they will be trained in Remote Explosive Scent Tracing (REST), where dogs detect explosive traces in sealed or consolidated cargo without disrupting handling, on the basis of air samples.
“This latest agreement builds on GK9’s European expansion strategy, following a strategic partnership with a Dutch screening provider, and the acquisition of a UK-based canine training company in late 2024,” the press release emphasizes GK9’s European milestone. KLM joins a list of seven other airlines which, to now, have collaborated with GK9 across the US. They are: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, DHL Aviation, LATAM Airlines, Lufthansa, United Airlines, and UPS Airlines.
Chris Daniels, Chief Commercial Officer, GK9, revealed: “We’ve been working closely with KLM’s compliance and safety team to develop a screening model that can seamlessly integrate within its cargo operations. Consolidated FREDD teams is a preferred screening option for high-throughput cargo environments such as KLM Cargo at Schiphol, and a necessary step in bolstering security at one of Europe’s busiest cargo hubs.” Kester Meijer, Director Operational Integrity, Compliance & Safety, KLM Cargo, said: “Our operations at Schiphol demand screening methods that can adapt to constant movement. GK9’s FREDD teams offer the mobility and responsiveness needed to do this at scale, without interrupting cargo flows, and, more importantly, while maintaining high security standards.”
